The Last Breath of Sam Yan

The documentary follows a group of students opposing the demolition of the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine at Saphan Leuang to make way for a high-rise building as part of a Chulalongkorn University development project. Through interviews and documentation, the film highlights the cultural and historical significance of the shrine and the community's fight to preserve it.{{Cite web |title=Democracy to heritage: Activist Netiwit hailed for 'Last Bre |url=https://world.thaipbs.or.th/detail/democracy-to-heritage-activist-netiwit-hailed-for-last-breath-of-sam-yan-/54961 |access-date=2024-10-25}}{{Cite web |title=Low-budget student documentary wins Thailand's top prize |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/life/entertainment/40042006 |access-date=2024-10-25}}

The film examines gentrification in the Sam Yan area in Pathum Wan District, presenting it as a microcosm of Bangkok's broader urban development challenges.{{Cite web |title=How a Bangkok shrine became a gentrification battlefront |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Tea-Leaves/How-a-Bangkok-shrine-became-a-gentrification-battlefront |access-date=2024-10-25}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-30 |title=The Last Breath of Sam Yan wins Suphannahong Award |url=https://prachataienglish.com/node/11144 |access-date=2024-10-25}} It features interviews with stakeholders such as academics Sulak Sivaraksa and Wasana Wongsurawat, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, and Chulalongkorn University President Bundhit Eua-arporn. Renowned author Philip Cornwel-Smith described it as the "Bangkok Alamo," emphasizing its resonance as a story of defiance and cultural preservation.{{Cite web |title=Bangkok’s Alamo: Samyan shrine defenders fight to save community

|url=https://www.koktailmagazine.com/2023/09/25/samyan-shrine/ |access-date=2024-12-05}}

The film received critical acclaim, winning the Bangkok Critics Assembly Award for Best Documentary and Thailand's National Award for Best Documentary. Critics praised its compelling depiction of urban heritage preservation and the proactive stance of its young filmmakers.{{Cite web |title=Critics Assembly honors Sam Yan documentary |url=https://thestandard.co/tag/the-last-breath-of-sam-yan/ |access-date=2024-12-05}}

Max Crosbie-Jones of Nikkei Asia highlighted its portrayal of student activism and the broader societal implications of gentrification. He lauded the film for urging more responsible preservation of cultural heritage.{{cite web |title=How a Bangkok shrine became a gentrification battlefront |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Tea-Leaves/How-a-Bangkok-shrine-became-a-gentrification-battlefront}}

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson remarked that the film is "not just a film—it’s a movement, capturing the audacious spirit of students pitted against commercial giants and state machinery." Similarly, Davarian L. Baldwin, author of In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower, described it as "both tragic and heartwarming, powerfully capturing a university’s soulless landgrab and the humanity of those who resist."

Loretta Lees, a professor at Boston University, noted that the documentary "exposes the lack of care universities show to long-standing communities on their doorstep and the local cultural, sacred spaces dear to them."{{cite web |title=The Social Movement in Thailand You Never Heard: The Endorsement for "The Last Breath of Sam Yan"|url=https://samyanpress.org/the-social-movement-in-thailand-you-never-heard-the-endorsement-for-the-last-breath-of-sam-yan/}}

The Last Breath of Sam Yan premiered at House Samyan on June 13, 2023, followed by commercial screenings at the same venue and at the Doc Club and Pub starting June 15, 2023. Special screenings were also held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand on June 29, 2023, and in Thai provinces including Songkhla, Chiang Mai, and Nakhon Ratchasima.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

The documentary gained international recognition through its selection at prominent film festivals such as the Student World Impact Film Festival 2023 in the United States, the Jagran Film Festival 2023 in India, and Lane Doc Fest 2023 in Jackson, Tennessee, USA.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

On February 9, 2024, the film was added to Netflix, granting it global accessibility and expanding its audience.{{Cite news |title=Sam Yan documentary lands on Netflix |url=https://netflixdocs.com/sam-yan-history |access-date=2024-10-25}}

The film reached global audiences through screenings at prominent venues: it was featured at Duke University on November 22, 2024, with a Q&A session with producer Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal focusing on urban studies discourse.{{Cite web |title=Duke University screening |url=https://asianpacific.duke.edu/event/film-screening-last-breath-sam-yan-prempapat-plittapolkranpim-2023-qa-producer-netiwit/ |access-date=2024-12-05}} On October 23, 2024, it was screened at Boston University during a discussion on urban transformation and gentrification.{{Cite web |title=Boston University screening and discussion |url=https://www.bu.edu/ioc/2024/09/26/the-last-breath-of-sam-yan-film-screening-discussion/ |access-date=2024-12-05}} Additionally, it was showcased at Metrograph Theater in New York City, emphasizing its global cultural relevance to an international audience.{{Cite web |title=Metrograph NYC hosts Last Breath of Sam Yan |url=https://www.metrograph.com/last-breath-screening/ |access-date=2024-12-05}}

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Category:Thai documentary films

Category:2020s Thai films

Category:Thai-language films

Category:2023 documentary films

Category:2023 films